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Audio recording April 11, 2010 Right click to download

 

As I have been discussing, the Kingdom of God is about bearing fruit. We saw that the starting point for that was having relationship disciplines that keep you in close communication and in vital touch with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. As you commune with Him, His Words are planted into your heart, the ground.

However, agriculture does not end with the planting of the seed. One must irrigate and tend the field in many ways. Also, in fruit bearing there is often pruning. This chapter deals with the way we live our lives and what we can expect as a fruit bearer in the Kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15

“10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Life is full of challenges and "fires."  We are given the foundation, which is Christ. Then the way we live our lives is the material with which we build upon the foundation. Our foundation in the fruit bearing process is having had received the Word of God into our hearts as a seed. Now we must build on that foundation.

Wood, hay and straw are inexpensive, they take up a lot of room, and they do not weigh very much compared to the other kinds of materials mentioned in the above Scripture. They also burn very readily.

Precious stones come from long periods of suffering and a pressurized process. Gold stands for deity and silver stands for redemption. Fire only serves to purify these materials.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 has been alive with my wife and I since 1997 when Wisdom spoke it to us. It was only recently, 2009, that we gained a better understanding on how the Lord used it in our lives. He gave my wife and I a promise in 1997 during a severe economic trial we were facing. During the years following we slowly experienced a reward as is promised in the Scripture above as well as the promised fires. We can testify that His Word has proven true. The rewards have come and we have come through the fires with improved character. Some of the rewards have been way beyond human reckoning, and they can only be attributed to the miraculous working of God!

We have discovered that if you live your life in a way that pleases God you will come through every fire with a reward. That does not mean that you will not suffer. Nor does it infer that you can be perfect, but you can be perfectly honest. Honesty and truth shines the light on your sin and destroys it. Darkness, covering our old fleshly and carnal nature, allows the enemy to have his way in our lives.

Tending the garden.

In the past few chapters we have been learning about spiritual agriculture. This chapter is all about tending the seed until the fruit comes.

Notice in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15  the foundation is named as Jesus Christ, who is the Word. Therefore for this object lesson, we will consider the Word planted in your heart as the foundation.

Also notice the Scripture then gives us our responsibility, building on the foundation, or building on the seed that has been planting in your heart. This idea is more than just picking out an interesting Scripture and attempting to insert my own thoughts into it. I have actually experienced this Scripture as a promise from God, and have experienced fantastic fruit by following its process many times. I will describe this process below as my personal testimony. This is my "farming testimony."  I have lived this out more than once, as a matter of fact, more times than I can count.

If you have read our book Grow or Die, you will see the familiar process that we describe in that book as Sit, Walk and Stand. I would like to liken this process to a farmer tending the ground and tending the seed that was planted. After a farmer plants his seed, he still has as lot of work before the crop comes up and before the harvest. In a similar way we have great responsibilities for tending our spiritual seed if we expect to see our fruit come into physical manifestation.

The significance of gold, silver and precious stones in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, in my opinion refers to living a life that includes these three things.

I can summarize the process as follows:

1. Silver - (SIT). Silver in most biblical references refers to redemption. Since our redemption in Christ is a free gift, then building on the foundation with silver means seeing our redemption and its impact in our lives as truth. Ephesians 2:6 says that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. That is a past tense statement, meaning that we are already seated with Him. This was by no work or merit of ours, but was and is a free gift of God. In order to continually add silver to our foundation, we have to continually have our mind renewed by the Word of God to our correct identity in Christ. We have been crucified with Christ. We are seated with Him. We are new creatures in Christ Jesus, old things have passed away, all things have become new. All our sins have been wiped out, we are clean as "spiritual virgins." Allow Jesus to tell you how much He loves you and who you are in Him.

By Chris Tiegreen in Walk With God.

I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. GALATIANS 2:20

The very essence of Christ's deliverance is the substitution of Himself for us-His life for ours!

Horatius Bonar

We can scarcely understand the blessing of the life of Jesus within us. We were not holy, but we don't live anymore; He lives in us. We weren't able to produce any fruit, but we're dead branches; He's the Vine-the whole vine. We couldn't find a mountain in daylight, but we don't have to look anymore; He led us straight to God. He fulfilled the Law for us, He paid the price for us, He died our death for us. And now, He is raised to life for us-and in us.

Christ in us: It's like identity theft from the divine, but freely offered, not stolen. You've heard of criminals who steal ID numbers, write checks, and apply for credit cards using someone else's name. We're as illegitimate in our use of Jesus' name, except for one act of God: He took our place. We are in Him. We have His name. His ID number is the only one God recognizes, and He has given it to us. We're in His family. It's as if God said: "Here's my Son's identity. Use it. Live in it. You will never be prosecuted for it. It's a gift. Mercy says it's yours."

What a God. What a Savior. What a promise. We were bankrupt, and our credit with God was no good. We owed an unpayable debt to an infinite lender. And instead of making us work it off-which we could never have done-or punishing us for delinquency-which we could never have survived-He forgave it. Cancelled it. Just tore up the certificate, erased our names off of His books, and put the name of His Son in our place. You know that Son, the One with perfect credit and infinite resources. His identity is ours. Our checks will never bounce again, our charges will never be declined.

Have you considered the implications of that? When you pray, you pray with the mouth of Jesus. When you learn, you learn with His mind. When you worship, you worship in His Spirit and in His truth. Consider your inadequacy dead and buried along with the rest of you. Jesus is our sufficiency. He is our life.

2. Gold – (WALK). Gold in Scripture usually refers to God. Gold in this context stands for God in our character. We obtain that by walking in the Spirit, or in other words, repenting our way through life.

Notice that in the Parable of the Sower in Mark chapter 4, that there are three primary ways that Satan attacks and disrupts the fruit bearing process.

1. Hard ground, or a hard heart. Satan steals this seed immediately. If you feel you have had a hard heart towards the things of God, simple tell Him that, confess it, and watch him soften your heart. I have seen this deliver people immediately.

2. Stony ground, or shallow ground with out much earth. In this case that seed actually starts to grow, but not enough to take root. The problem with this soil, this heart, is that persecution and tribulation come and immediately this person stumbles and loses the seed and the fruit. This is called giving up too soon and not trusting God's Word in the face of difficulties.

3. Thorny ground. In this type of ground, the seed actually becomes a large plant, but it is choked out by the thorns that grow along side of it and it bears no fruit. What are the thorns?  The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches (thinking that money can solve all your problems) and the desires for things of this world.

Allow The Holy Spirit to convict you of your sin and sin nature, so that you may be cleansed. God, in His ultimate mercy, love and grace, will allow the Holy Sprit to continually convict you of your ungodly attributes in actions and thoughts so that you may continually confess them as sin and thereby rid yourself of them. In this manner you stay "clean" so that the promise of God, the seed of the Word, can continue to progress towards bearing fruit.

1 Peter 1:7:

“7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

A quote by Christ Tiegreen

Cost of Non-Discipleship

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" Matthew 16:26

The cost of discipleship is great. Jesus makes that point over and over again. Unlike some ministries today that almost beg people to entrust their lives to Christ, appropriate as the appeal may be, Jesus discouraged people from following Him if they could not do it wholeheartedly. He called for a willingness to deny oneself and take up a cross He called them to suffer the cost.

But the cost of not following Jesus is even greater than the cost of discipleship. Those who do not follow Him, even those who follow Him, but not wholeheartedly-miss all the blessings and benefits of being completely sold out to Christ. They miss intimate fellowship with the Creator of all that is: they miss the power of God at work in their lives; they miss the peace and fullness of knowing they are right with God. And they will miss great eternal rewards.

Every human being pays an extremely high price: the cost of discipleship or the cost of opting out of it. The cost of opting out is greater. In fact, it's infinitely greater. Holding on to a little bit of sin and self destroys intimacy with God and renders a life relatively fruitless. Maintain one's own agenda regardless of God's will means missing the blessing of walking in His steps in the power of His Spirit. That's costly,

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" Jesus asks. In other words, having just revealed the cost of following Him, He now asks "Are you willing to pay the price of not following Me?"

Too many Christians have held back a little from Christ, thinking the cost of all-out abandonment to a self-denying Savior is too costly. It is too radical, too zealous,

But think about the alternative, and compare the costs. Either way, there is a price to pay. All things considered, it's pretty easy choice,

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose,"

-Jim Elliot

When you walk right with God He can reveal more secrets to you.

1 Corinthians 2:9

“9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.””

Proverbs 1:23

“23 Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.”

3. Precious Stones – (STAND). Precious stones are made from common raw materials such as rock, coal and the like. Then the object must be subjected to intense pressure and heat over a prolonged period of time. In the case of pearls, a small grain of sand irritates the oyster. The oyster then excretes a healing substance that forms the pearl. All precious stones are formed from a process that could be described as suffering.

In our spiritual agriculture we may experience long periods of pressure, heat and even affliction and suffering. We are told to stand against the devil who is trying to steal the Word out of our hearts and is trying to destroy our Kingdom fruit bearing process (Ephesians 6:14).

Precious stones represent the process of affliction and overcoming. As we persevere, sometimes for very long periods of time, we utilize the Word of God to speak destruction to your spiritual enemies, and experience the resurrection life of God while still in our bodies to indeed destroy our spiritual enemies.

There are resurrections in your life even before your body dies.

 

Philippians 3:8-14 Amplified Bible:

8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),

9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law's demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.

10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

12 Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

13 I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

14 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

This part of the fruit bearing, the overcoming process, can be difficult to our old flesh nature. Our inborn selfishness desires comfort and quick resolution to difficulties. However, in the spiritual world evil is overcome by death and resurrection. When you go through various trials, you are in effect "dying" to your selfish nature and choosing to walk through to the end with Jesus just because you love Him so much!  The fruit that comes from such afflictions is worth it for you and more importantly, for Jesus. Remember, patience is a part of the fruit of the Spirit, which resides inside of you. I don't remember any fruit coming into my life without having to go through afflictions.

It was only after Abraham walked Isaac all the way up the hill to sacrifice him, in other words, only after Abraham suffered the "death of his soul," did God confirm that his fruit would be plentiful.

Genesis 22:15-18

“15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,

16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son --

17 “blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.””

Count it all joy!

James 1:1-4,12:

“1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Notice in James 1:12 the "crown of life" is mentioned as a reward. Crowns represent authority, and life in this context represents spiritual life. As we become overcomers, as we defeat evil forces through the overcoming and fruit bearing process, we receive an anointing, or an authority, to bring new life, Jesus Himself, to others!

Revelation 2:10:

“10 “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

As you live the overcoming lifestyle, not only will you receive a reward on this earth, but also more importantly, your reward will be eternal. Keep your eyes on Jesus in eternity and your eternal relationship with Him, and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim, even your fires.

I can honestly testify in April 2010, that I know for sure that the amazing work that is being done around the world through the simple books I have written have nothing to do with my writing talent or my spiritual knowledge as a theologian. God has taken us through some very long and difficult overcoming journeys, and continues to, which result in life for others.